What Makes Australia Special: Nature, Heritage and National Pride
The Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Sydney Opera House and wildlife found nowhere else. A guide to what makes Australia special.
By Ceylon Trends · · 2 min read
Australia is a continent and a country at once: home to the Great Barrier Reef, the red heart of Uluru, one of the world's most famous buildings, wildlife found nowhere else and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures that are among the oldest living cultures on earth. Here is what makes it special.
World Heritage of rare natural beauty
UNESCO lists 21 World Heritage properties in Australia, and most are natural or mixed. Among them:
- Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the world
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, sacred to its Anangu traditional owners
- Sydney Opera House, one of the most recognisable buildings of the twentieth century
- Kakadu National Park, with rich wetlands and ancient rock art
- Tasmanian Wilderness, among the last great temperate wildernesses
- Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, ancient forests with roots in a lost supercontinent
Some of the oldest living cultures
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for tens of thousands of years. Their cultures, languages, art and connection to Country are at the heart of Australia's identity.
Wildlife found nowhere else
After millions of years of isolation, Australia's animals evolved in their own way. Kangaroos, koalas, wombats and platypuses are known around the world precisely because they live naturally only here.
Beaches and the outdoors
With coastline wrapping the whole continent, beach culture is part of everyday life, along with surfing, swimming and a love of the outdoors.
A sporting nation
Australians follow sport with passion, from cricket to Australian rules football, rugby, swimming and tennis.
Food and gatherings
The backyard barbecue is a national institution, and a meat pie at the football is a ritual. Australia and New Zealand still argue happily over who invented the pavlova.
Carrying the pride with you
Reef, rock, rainforest, ancient cultures and a love of the outdoors: Australia gives its people a great deal to be proud of. That pride is what our Australia designs celebrate, and our guide to choosing a gift based on someone's home town shows how to make it personal.
Questions and answers
How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does Australia have?
UNESCO lists 21 World Heritage properties in Australia: 5 cultural, 12 natural and 4 mixed, including the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and the Sydney Opera House.
Why is Australia's wildlife unique?
Australia was isolated from other continents for millions of years, so many of its animals, such as kangaroos and koalas, are found nowhere else in the world.
